Yet again, it’s been more than a few days since I’ve posted. I really have no excuse other than I’ve been both really busy, and when I’m not really busy, I’m really lazy and don’t feel like doing anything. So…yeah.
I’m sure you’re not interested in the stories of me being lazy, so I’ll enthrall you with the stories of me being busy.
I made FOUR new recipes last week – all from the Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals cookbook.
1. Buttery Eggs & Leeks with Bacon p. 17. This was simple meal consisting of leeks sauteed in butter over scramby eggs (with coconut milk in them), topped with bacon bits. Very simple and very delicious.
2. Greek Salad with Lamb p.81. This was a simple romaine salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and ground lamb mixed with spices. The recipe calls for fresh spices, but they are too expensive this time of year, so I used dried. It still turned out very tasty. Tim LOVED this salad.
3. Pork Chops with Shredded Brussels Sprouts p.95. This was another ultra-simple recipe. You shred a pound of brussels sprouts in the food processor and then cook them in a sh!t ton of olive oil. So easy, but so good.
4. Cauliflower “Arroz Con Pollo” p. 109. This recipe was more work than the other three, but since you can chop everything (onion, jalapeno, garlic, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cauliflower ) in the food processor, it goes pretty fast. This made a TON of food, and it turned out really tasty. The recipe calls for saffron, which was $12.99 for a tiny bottle at HyVee, so I subbed paprika and turmeric for it instead. From what I’ve read, nothing but saffron will give you the flavor of saffron, but I wasn’t willing to spend $13 to test that out.
That leads me to an observation I’ve had after being paleo for 2 years. At first, I felt as if I had to go out and buy all these expensive ingredients (ghee, sesame oil, coconut aminos, spices, avocado oil, etc. etc. etc.). However, as we’ve settled into our pattern of eating healthier, we’ve found that as long as we have olive oil, some meat, and some veggies in our fridge, we can eat pretty good! Eating this way can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be.
And, as I mentioned on the outset, life is starting to get busy again, so I’m trying to go with the more simple recipes that make leftovers. On the docket this week is Coffee Ancho Short ribs (which are currently slow-cooking in the Nesco and making our house smell amazing), cowboy breakfast skillet, brats & homemade kraut, paleo meatloaf and salmon with salad (FYI – Target has wild-caught frozen salmon on sale this week for $9.99 – $3 cheaper than normal!). Oh, and I’m going to be decadent and make Paleo Fudgy Brownies. I’m kind of scared to make them because I think they are going to be crazy delicious, and then I will have to eat them all.
Now on to what’s been making me busy besides making and eating food. Let’s see. Work is busy, which takes away my mental energy to do much of anything else in the evening. BUT I have gotten some things done. I’ve been making water kefir, for one thing. So far it hasn’t been turning out – the water is still too sweet after the fermenting process. However, the instructions say it can take up to 3 weeks for the grains to really get activated, so I just need to be patient.
I also finished Mindset which was an awesome book that really made me look at myself and my abilities/talents in a new light. I don’t want to write a review because this post is already getting too long, but take my word for it and read it. It’s a good perspective-shifter.
I also went to an official yoga class for the first time in 6 years! I’ve been using the yoga app on my phone, but going to a class is so much better. It’s great to get teacher feedback. My iPad can’t tell me if my form is bad. I really enjoyed the class. Even though it gave me a good workout for my core, legs, and back, it was still very calming. Maybe it’s just psychological, but after only one class, I already feel as if I stand up straighter! We are going back on Monday. We are scheduled for Wednesday too, but Tim and I might try a spinning class instead.
We’ve been trying to swim too, to prepare for the tri in 4 months. We joined the Y, and it’s been really difficult to find times where there are open lanes. There are a lot of water walkers at the Y, we’ve found. It’s getting frustrating.
And, well, that’s about it. Tim and I are doing a 4 mile run in about an hour, so I should go get ready for that. Hope you are having a great Sunday!
